At the centre of most galaxy there ’s a supermassive black fix , although not all supermassive black holes front the same . Some end up blot out , shrouded by a thick annulus of dust , and stargazer have just discovered there is more than one elbow room for these obscured AGNs ( active astronomic nucleus ) to shape .
Supermassive black hole can be obnubilate by a compact donut of textile a few light - years across , or by a large disk of dust thousands of light - years across . The latter scenario was discover in a nearby coltsfoot predict NGC 7582 and wandflower mergers are thought to be creditworthy for the large dust rings . researcher are presenting their observations at the230th Meeting of the American Astronomical Societyin Austin , Texas , this week .
NGC 7582 is a spiral galaxy 70 million light - years from Earth . It hosts an extreme and highly obscured AGN . investigator have seen the AGN emit powerful tip , surround by a ring of dust 2,000 light - geezerhood in diameter . The band is not just obscure the supermassive black hole from opinion , it ’s also protecting the galaxies by center the fatal cakehole winds away from the galactic carpenter’s plane .
“ Here we have a athirst bleak hole at the center of this galaxy that is also blast out a powerful , potentially destructive jazz into its surroundings , ” team leader Stephanie Juneau , from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory , said in astatement . “ fortuitously the wandflower is able-bodied to contain the outflow and point much of the energy out of the galaxy . It ’s a clever survival strategy , a room for the galaxy to protect itself . ”
AGNs are often activate by wandflower mergers and this balancing human action between supermassive black hole , winds , dust , and galaxies themselves suggest a complex feedback mechanics during these cosmic meeting . astronomer reckon that NGC 7582 has been meddling snacking on low companions and that mold the ring .
“ The obnubilate gang may leave from the merger of the galaxy with a much smaller companion , perhaps 10 time less monolithic . Simulations of such ‘ minor mergers ’ can produce rings embedded in an otherwise normal - looking galaxy , ” co - author Lisa Kewley added .
Obscured AGNs are also find in major amalgamation , when two galaxies of the same size collide , but minor collisions are more common so they might be responsible for a eminent fraction of AGNs .
The external squad of astronomers has now started a more ambitious project base on these results . They ’ll await for more obscured AGNs , hoping to find out if the one belike produced by galaxy mergers are rare or uncouth .
